Certain clauses in the Greek Constitution (stating, among others, that education has to be public and free for all and that no police forces are allowed to enter university grounds) have made the enforcement of a neo-liberal agenda to the country's higher education institutions particularly difficult.

However, the Conservative government is now attempting to push forward crucial changes in the functioning and role of the country's Higher Education institutions. A so-called "committee of experts", appointed by the government itself, has released a list of proposed changes.

But the students are determined not to go down without a fight. As of 7th of June, 320 academic departments are occupied (representing over 75% of the country's total).

The huge student demonstration that took place in Athens, Greece this morning was violently attacked by the police. The whole city centre was full of tear gas that the police threw to breakup the students and you can hardly breathe. The police attacked peaceful demonstrators, in many cases 18 year old girls were hit repeatedly with clubs and whoever tried to help them got the same. Many people were arrested without any cause and beaten up badly even after their arrest and while they were carried to the police vehicles. The police also attacked corporate media cameramen who were filming the beatings. This is not a case of a couple of injures but of hundreds of wounded students. Tens of ambulances had to take them into hospitals. Unfortunately the police usually follow the ambulances and arrests the hospitalized people. A group of neo-nazi / patriots which is known that are in good terms with the police, helped on the attacks against the students. Police is everywhere and people are still haunted, beaten and arrested.

The corporate media talks about a small number of anarchists attacking the police and that the police only took defending actions but the truth is that the police attacked the whole demonstrations of dozens of thousand people.

These events are taking place right now, more news to come soon.Sorry for any mistakes, I wrote this down in a big hurry.

Bombs and Shields post on the topic:

Greece - Students staged sit-ins at refused to attend classes at more than 150 Universities throughout the country in protest of a new law that would privatize schools. Students fear that the law will bring about the end of free higher education.

A large demonstration in Athens was attacked by police with clubs and tear gas leaving "hundreds of wounded students. Tens of ambulances had to take them into hospitals" according to a participant. Protesters responded by destroying and burning shops and luxury cars. Anarchists and squatters threw fire bombs and other projectiles at police during the confrontation.

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